In managed video systems, whether traditional digital systems or Internet Protocol television (IPTV) systems, service providers lack the ability to provide a smooth transition mechanism when replacing a media device (e.g., a set top box (STB)) in a consumer's home. With current systems, if a media device needs to be replaced, any custom settings the user may have made and content which was stored on the device (e.g., recorded content) is not transferred (unless manually—if possible) to the new device, and thus are effectively lost. This makes for a frustrating customer experience.